Thousand Pardons
by Manganese Wolf
Summary: Memory is a fickle thing, a young woman knows more about this when her seemingly first memories are of being rescued next to the ocean. The strange blue-eyed pirate who rescued her is a mystery, but for her when all is lost it seems that it might be a mystery worth solving.


"_**It makes me wonder, Do we spend most of our days trying to remember or forget things? Do we spend most of our time running towards or away from our lives? I don't know."  
― Markus Zusak, Fighting Ruben Wolfe **_

**Chapter 1**

_Darkness._

_ That's all there is, I can't see and I can't tell if my eyes are even open._

_ I can't feel but I am aware of myself._

_ Am I dying?_

_ I'm not dead...am I?_

My body was numb, but my mind was frantic; windswept with thoughts that spiralled out of control. I tried to rationalise myself, trying to remember my name first then pressing on to try and remember more. But my memory was hazy, like what I presumed the night after a good drink felt like...though I can't say from self experience; then again I can't remember my own self experiences.

_I wonder if i'm really here still..._

_ Maybe i'm simply existing...no longer wanted or needed..._

_ Surely I must still have some use somewhere?_

Time had no meaning any-more, I couldn't tell if it was even passing. Without my senses I was simply a mind trapped in a body of flesh...but then again was I even still in my body?

_If I was dead then that would mean i'm just consciousness...right? _

Light from what I presumed was above startled me and I started falling towards it, now aware that my eyes were open and in fact the light was all around me. The first I knew of that I was still a part of this world was the waves. I could hear them all around me crashing onto land somewhere outside of the white canvas, then came the birds; seagulls to be precise. Squawking somewhere far beyond, then the noise of trees whispering and finally the voice of someone...someone who should be right next to me. Looking around frantically I could find nothing in the whiteness that would resemble a person; in my panic I didn't notice my limbs beginning to appear beneath me and the sky tearing a whole in my little bubble. The light grew, causing me to wince my eyes shut, then raise a hand to cover them.

_A hand!_

_ I'm still alive!_

Blinking a few times beneath the shade of my glorious limb I tried to move but a burning pain in my left shoulder and ribs caused me to halt and lay back down, against something warm and soft.

"You al'right there love? I'd stay still if I were you, we've gone 'nd alerted our cap'n so just rest easy till he comes round the cove with our ship," the voice was rough and male, but it was relaxing and my body instinctively allowed itself to rest. I heard the creak of wood and the forceful movement of water before the man lifted me from the floor and began to walk his steps lulling me to sleep.

Blinking again I noticed I had closed my eyes and slept for some time for before the sun was shining and now above me was wooden planks, sturdy-looking I had no doubt that they were built to last. Lost in my study of the wood I drifted between thoughts.

_What do I remember?_

_ My name, my age, gender and waking up multiple times..._

_ Now...what don't I remember?_

If I had tried to list the amount of things I couldn't remember i'm sure it should have been much longer but for now it was simply everything except for waking up and who I was. Heavy thuds drew my mind back to reality and my heart skipped a beat as the door to wherever I was currently opened with a stressing creak.

"Ah, you're awake. The crew was worried so I thought I should come check on you, you've been out cold for days; and been at sea on our ship for as many," the man chuckled slightly at his last words and the voice was course but not rough. He had blonde hair and strange clothes that must have been sweltering in any weather; but I noticed something else. His eyes, they were such a deep blue, like the depths of the ocean and somehow I supposed that they held the same mystery within them aswell.

"Thank...you," my voice was a whisper and I could barely muster any strength to open my lips, my own weakness shocked me and suddenly I felt very vunerable. The emotion must have passed over my features because in the blink of an eye the man was next to me leaning against a small wooden crate, shushing me gently with his hand on my head.

"It's allright you're safe, don't try to push yourself you've got some bad wounds and are quite feverish. I'll make sure to let you know when we reach land but for now all that is necessary is rest." I glanced into his ocean eyes and a gentle smile touched my lips, mimicking the smile he now wore. He removed his hand from my head and rose moving back towards the door, suddenly I became intrigued.

"Name..." I hadn't meant it to come out like that but for now all I could manage were single words, he turned his head; reaching for the door and smirked.

"Captain Edward Kenway at your service ma'm," he winked then disappeared the door creaking closed with a clack; leaving me alone and with an empty memory and a swirling mind for comfort.


End file.
